Velocipede



(No Model.) H 4 sheets sheet '1.

H. G. MEUMANN.

VELOGIPBDE.

No. 589,531. Patented Sept. 7, 1897.

(No Model.) I I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. H. G. MEUMANN;

' VELOGIPBDE.

No. 589,531. v gatented Sept '7, 1897.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

H. G. MEUMANN.

VELOOIPEDE, h

No. 589,531. Patented Sept. 7, 1897.

NlTED- STATES PATENT union.

IlERllAX-N G. MEUMANN, OF BESSEMER, ALABAMA.

vELoc PEoEj SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,531,dated September '7, 1897.

Application filed January 21, 1897. $erial1lo. 620,097. (No model To mZZ1072,0771 it? may concern- Be it known that I, Hummus G. MnunANN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Bessemer, in the county ofJefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Vclocipedes; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to velocipedes, and more particularly to that classof inventions which may be run singly or converted into a tandem anddriven by power other than manual.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character inwhich the parts may be quickly assembled to form the tandem and whichmay be as readily separated and removed to allow the bicycles to be usedseparately and driven by foot-power.

In this class of machines great difficulty has been experiencedheretofore in devising means by which two bicycles of ordinary andwell-known construction may be coupled together and furnish means forsupporting an engine.

lnthe present case the bicycles used to form the machine are of thewell-known type and are coupled together in a simple manner, so thatshould the engine break down or the oil give outthe engine may beremoved and stored away and the riders may then propel their individualwheels by footpower, or the mechanism may be left connected together.Only the short power-shaft Z (shown in Figure 1) is removed, and thenthe wheel may be propelled by foot-power. I

With the above objects in view the invention consists of certainfeatures of construction and combination of parts, which will behereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which show the preferred embodiment of myinvention and in which like letters of reference and unmerals denotecorresponding parts, Fig. 1 is a top plan view illustrating two bicyclesof ordinary construction coupled together and supporting an engine, theseat being removed to show the underlying parts. Fig. 2 is afront viewof the same. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View of the middlesupportingframe, the steering-lever, and the parts, which will behereinafter described, that are connected thereto. Fig. 3 is a sectionalview of one end of one of the front coupling-rods that form the frontcoupling-frame. Fig. at is a side view of the machine. Fig. 5 is asectional View of one of the driving-clutches. Fig. 6 is a side view ofa portion of the same, showing to the right in a side plan thelockingroller. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the clamping-hub of thebrake-wheel, showing in section the shaft to which it is clamped. Fig. 8is a modified form illustrating the application of an electric motor todrive the machine, and Fig. 9, is a sectional view of a clutch employedto throw into and out of gear the ma-. chine.

In the drawings, A A designate two bicycles, which are of the usualconstruction, and Bdenotes the ordinary frame of bicycle with the wheelsremoved.

The rear ends of the com plete bicycles have their steps a extended andprojecting toward each other, and to these steps are secured the ends ofbrace-rods Z), upon the inner ends of which the engine-frame c issupported.

The front ends of the bicycle-fra1nes A A and B are connected by acoupling D, which consists of the parallel tubes d and the diagonalbrace-tubes (1, connected thereto. The ends of the tube (Z are providedwith clamps (1 consisting of a head (2 brazed or otherwise secured inthe ends of the tubes cl and provided with a fixed and a hinged jaw dand (1 respectively, the free ends of which are formed with semicircularscrew-threaded studs, which receive clamping-nuts c and by means ofwhich the frames A A are connected together.

E denotes a central brace-tube which extends across and has its endsclamped to the seat-posts of the three frames by a clamp of G, which isjournaled in the center of the engine at g and also in the sides of theengine-frame at g and is provided with Mywheels g" and with pinions g".

The bicycleframe has projecting from its crank-hanger at both sides astraight shaft II, and to the ends of this shaft are secured gear-wheels71. A clutch-ringI is secured to each of the gear-wheels h by bolts hand is provided in its periphery with a tangential recess 0r pocket 1?.

J denotes the brake-wheels, each of which has an annular recess in itsinner face to receive the outside member K of the clutchsection, whichis held in place by a ring L, through which bolts M pass, and in thisway holds ring K, brake-wheel J, and ring L together, the ring L at thesame time holding brake-wheel J to gear-wheel h. The inner periphery ofthe section K of the clutch is provided with tangential recesses orpockets 1, which, with the pockets i,receive the rollers N.

0 denotes the hub of the brake-wheel, which is formed of split sections0 and a clampingblock 0, which is formed with a V-shaped recess toengage the V-shaped end of the driveshaft P, which extends across andhas its outer end removably clamped to the pedalshaft.

Q denotes a nut which engages the threaded exterior of the hub and isprovided with a wrench-face q, whereby it may be screwed upon the hub toclamp its split sections and the block firmly to the shaft.

By referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that the wheel his in gear with the pinion g and that when the latter is rotated thepower will be transmitted from it to the former, and thence to thedrive-shaft to rotate the drive-sprockets R, which are geared to thesprockets r by the chain 0" in the usual manner.

In operation the wheel it, being rotated by the pinion 9', will rotatethe brake-wheel J, and the rollers N will be moved toward the contractedends of the recesses e of the clutch ring I and lock the two partstogether and cause the rotation of the drive-shaft.

In going downgrade the machine will run ahead of the engine-power, andby reason of the rollers falling into the enlarged portions of thesockets, with the engine-wheel running, as soon as the speed of thewheel lessens the rollers will be forced into the contracted ends of thesockets and cause the machine to be driven by the power transmitted fromthe engine. This construction also permits of one wheel turning fasterthan the other in turning short corners.

It will be understood that bands will encircle the brake-wheel andextend to any suitable point of the machine and be connected, so as tobe tightened around the brake-wheels to regulate the speed of themachine.

S denotes the steering-lever, the end of which is clamped to thesteering-head of the turned.

frame B and the rear end of which projects within convenient reach ofone of the occupants of the machine. A bar 3 is pivoted to this leverand extends across and is pivoted to the steering-posts of the bicyclesA A. It is evident, therefore, that when this lever is moved from oneside to the other the front wheels of the bicycles will becorrespondingly This lever is in the form of a tube and it incloses abell-actuating rod 3 the forward end of which is pivoted to a pivotedbell-hammer .9 while its rear end is pivoted to a lever 8 by means ofwhich the bell-hammer is actuated.

Surrounding this lever is a sleeve T, the rear end of which is providedwith a handwheel 25 and the foward end of which is provided with abevel-gear t, which meshes with a similar gear t journaled on thesteeringhead of the middle frame 13. Keyed to or forming part of thispivoted gear 25 is a gearwheel i which meshes with a gear-wheel t",secured to the upper end of a shaft 6 which is connected with mechanismthat governs the controlling-valve of the engine.

In operation it is desired to start the engine before its power isapplied to the machine 50 drive it, and to this end I have provided theclutch shown in Fig. 9, which consists of a bevel-gear U, which issplined to the crankshaft and works into a recess it, formed in the faceof each pinion g". The hub of this pivoted clutch-section has a collarthat is engaged by the flange of a nut V, which has a quick thread. Theyoke extends over the fly-wheels and the ends are formed with hubs whichembrace the extreme ends of the crankshafts, and the exterior surfacesof these hubs are formed with quick threads which engage the threads ofthe nuts. It is evident, therefore, that when this yoke is operated theclutch-section U will be forced into engagement with the pinion g andsaid pinion be caused to turn with the crank-shaft. By this constructionI am enabled to start my engine, and then by manipulating the yoke,which may be done by the foot-levers \V, (shown in dotted lines in Fig.1,) the engine will be connected with the driving mechanism of themachine.

When it is desired to stop, by simply re versing the movement of thefoot-lever the engine may be thrown out of gear with the machine, but beallowed to continue working.

I prefer to employ the clutch shown in Fig. 9, but any other well-knownor approved form may be substituted without departing from. the spiritof my invention.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a tank (designated by the letter X) whichis adapted to contain the oil and water to supply the gasengine, and tosupply the spark I have represented by the letter Z a storage batteryand wires running therefrom to the engine-cylinder. Any approved form ofengine may be employed, and the one shown may be cm- IIC.

ployed. Hence I do not consider it necessary to describe the details ofthe one shown in the present instance.

Instead of using a gas-engine an electric motor may be substituted, suchas shown in Fig. 8, in which 1 represents the motor, having its armature2 provided with a worm 3, that engages a wor1n-wheel at, secured to thedriving-shaft of the machine. \Vhen driven by an electric motor, thestorage-tank will be removed and a square box will be substituted toreceive the storage battery, and the seats will be supported by saidbox. Clutches, as heretofore described, may be used in this connection,and the construct-ion of parts will be substantially the same when thisform of motor is used as when the gas-engine is used.

5 denotes a seat which extends across the machine and is capable ofsupporting two or more passengers, and 6 represents a foot-rest whichalso extends across the machine and has its ends secured thereto, asshown in Fig. 4. This foot-rest consists, preferably, of slats hingedtogether and is made removable, so that it may be taken on and rolled upinto small compass. g

7 denotes a lamp which may be lighted by oil or electricity. \Vhenemployed, I may find itadvisable to generate a sufficient amount ofelectricity to supply the lamp.

Although I have described my invention as,

consisting of three bicycle-frames I would have it understood that Icontemplate the employment of three tandem-frames, which will sustainmore persons.

. Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new anduseful, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a velocipede,the combination with two bicycles of ordinaryconstruction, and the frame of another bicycle, means for connecting theparts together, an engine-frame supported by the bicycle-frames, thedrivingshaft connected with the driving-shafts of the two bicycles, andconnections between the engines and the driving-shafts for imparting themovement of the engine to the driving-shaft, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with two bicycles and the frame of a third bicycle,said parts being removably connected together, of an engine supported bythe several frames, provided with a crank-shaft connected to thepistonrods of the engine, a drive-shaft having a geared connection withthe crank-shaft and with the ordinary drive-shafts of the two bicycles,substantially as set forth.

3. In avelocipede,the combination with two bicycles of the usual orwell-known construction, and the frame of a bicycle removably clampedthereto, of an engine-frame, an engine supported by said frame, acrank-shaft to which the piston-rods of said engine are connected,gear-Wheels loosely mounted upon the ends of said crank-shaft, adriving-shaft connected to the driving-sprockets of bicycles,gear-wheels on said (I riving-shaft in mesh with those on thecrankshaft, clutches connecting said gear-wheels with said drivingshaft,whereby the gear-wheels are caused to turn in unison with thedriving-shaft, the construction being such that the gear-wheels mayrotate faster than the working of the engine, substantially as setforth.

4. The combination with two bicycles of the usual and well-knownconstruction, and the frame of a third bicycle clamped thereto, of anengine for driving the bicycles, asteeringlover, a rod connecting thesteering-heads of the two bicycles and pivoted to the steeringlever,whereby when said lever is actuated, the steering of the two bicycleswillbe moved in unison, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

HERMAN)? G. MEUMANN.

lVitnesses:

BENJ. G. Gown, J. A. WILLsoN.

